The Milan Wildcats, who travel to Trenton this week for the Bulldogs homecoming game (7:00 PM Friday) on Hot Country Z 101.7, have used an explosive offense and strong defense to jump to a 4-0 start to the season, earning the ‘Cats the #4 position in the high school football media poll, released on Tuesday night.
The Mid-Buchanan Dragons, who have a first week win at Princeton and a lopsided victory at Lathrop on its resume, is ranked #1 in the state, with 97 points, 33 more than Milan. The Dragons, based out of Faucett, Missouri, have eight first-place votes, with second-ranked Hayti and third-ranked Thayer each holding one first-place tally. East Buchanan, a winner over Trenton in the second week of the season, is ranked seventh after putting 60 points on the scoreboard in a KCI Conference win at Penney last week. Among are schools receiving votes are Marceline and South Harrison.
Palmyra, a strong squad out of the Clarence Cannon Conference, is ranked #1 in Class 2 after a three-touchdown win at Brookfield last week. The Panthers have five first-place votes, with second-ranked Higginsville earning two of those nods. Lamar is ranked third and St. Charles Lutheran fourth, each with one first-place vote. Clark County sits sixth, Butler seventh, Lexington eighth, and Monroe City ninth in Class 2. Also notable in Class 2 is a St. Pius squad coming off of back-to-back MEC wins over Cameron and Maryville, pushing the Warriors to the #5 spot in the state, with 56 points. St. Pius will host winless Chillicothe this Friday night.
Other first-place teams in the poll are Blair Oaks in Class 3, Helias in Class 4, Carthage for Class 5, and Ray-Pec in Class 6. Also notable in the poll is the lack of teams out of the St. Louis metropolitan area, left unable to play due to COVID-19 restrictions in the metropolitan area. MSHSAA has stated that teams having played at least one game this season are eligible to be ranked. Those on the sidelines are not eligible.
MISSOURI HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL STATE POLLS
Statewide high school football rankings, as compiled by a ten-member panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. First-place votes in parenthesis. Panel is made up of Dion Clisso, PrepsKC; Cody Thorn, The Examiner; Dave Kvidahl, STLHighschoolsports.com; Tom Rackers, Jefferson City News-Tribune; Chris Parker, Ozone Sports; Brandon Zenner, The St. Joseph News-Press; J.B. Connoley, KRES radio; Matt King, The Daily Journal; Jason Peake, SOMOSports.com; Brian Rosener, Poplar Bluff Daily American Republic.
**Only teams that have played games this season are eligible for rankings.**
First-place votes in parenthesis. Area teams in bold.
CLASS 6
Rank, team, Rec., Pts.
1. Raymore-Peculiar (9), 4-0, 99
2. Liberty (1), 4-0, 88
3. Nixa, 4-0, 81
4. Rockhurst, 2-2, 62
5. Francis Howell, 2-1, 48
6. Lee’s Summit West, 3-1, 41
7. Wentzville Holt, 3-0, 38,
8. Joplin, 2-2, 35
9. Fox-Arnold, 4-0, 21
10. Columbia Rock Bridge, 4-0, 17
Also receiving votes: Springfield Kickapoo (3-1), 13; Lee’s Summit North (2-2), 7
CLASS 5
Rank, team, Rec., Pts.
1. Carthage (6), 3-0, 96
2. Webb City (2), 3-1, 87
3. Jackson (2), 4-0, 81
4. Grain Valley, 4-0, 60
5. North Kansas City, 3-1, 54
6. Columbia Battle, 2-1, 44
7. Platte County, 3-1, 31
8. Fort Zumwalt North, 3-1, 28
T9. Farmington, 4-1, 22
T9. Ozark, 3-1, 22
Also receiving votes: Raytown (2-2), 11; Belton (3-0), 10; Washington (3-1), 5
CLASS 4
Rank, team, Rec., Pts.
1. Jefferson City Helias (6), 4-0, 94
2. West Plains (3), 4-0, 93
3. Hannibal (1), 3-0, 64
4. Bolivar, 3-1, 60
5. Smithville, 3-1, 57
6. Festus, 4-0, 55
7. Lincoln College Prep, 2-1, 41
8. Moberly, 4-0, 27
9. St. Dominic, 3-1, 25
10. Winnetonka, 4-0, 23
Also receiving votes: Center (3-1), 4; Savannah (1-1), 4; Kearney (2-2), 2; Warrensburg (3-1), 1
CLASS 3
Rank, team, Rec., Pts.
1. Blair Oaks (7), 4-0, 97
2. Odessa (2), 4-0, 91
3. Mt. Vernon, 4-0, 74
4. Valle Catholic (1), 4-0, 73
5. Kennett, 4-0, 42
T6. Cassville, 3-1, 38
T6. Centralia, 3-0, 38
8. Oak Grove, 3-1, 33
9. Buffalo, 4-0, 26
10. Southern Boone, 3-1, 20
Also receiving votes: Park Hills Central (2-0), 8; St. Francis Borgia (2-2), 6; Maryville (2-2), 4
CLASS 2
Rank, team, Rec., Pts.
1. Palmyra (5), 4-0, 94
2. Lafayette County (2), 4-0, 84
3. Lamar (1), 3-1, 70
4. Lutheran St. Charles (1), 3-1, 69
5. St. Pius X (1), 4-0, 56
6. Clark County, 3-1, 54
7. Butler, 4-0, 28
8. Lexington, 4-0, 25
9. Monroe City, 3-1, 23
10. Duchesne, 3-1, 22
Also receiving votes: Warsaw (3-0), 18; Highland (3-1), 3; New Madrid County Central (3-1), 3; East Prairie (3-1), 1
CLASS 1
Rank, team, Rec., Pts.
1. Mid Buchanan (8), 4-0, 97
2. Hayti (1), 3-0, 81
3. Thayer (1), 3-1, 78
4. Milan, 4-0, 64
5. Windsor, 4-0, 57
6. Westran, 4-0, 40
7. East Buchanan, 3-0, 39
8. Marionville, 4-0, 31
9. Adrian, 3-1, 18
10. Skyline, 3-1, 17
Also receiving votes: Marceline (3-1), 10; Crest Ridge (3-1), 4; South Harrison (3-1), 4; Cabool (3-1), 3; Lockwood (3-1), 3; Harrisburg (2-2), 2; Pierce City (3-1), 2
